Gastil to present about role of citizen legislators

Gastil to present about role of citizen legislators

CENTER VALLEY, Pa. – John Gastil, head of communication arts and sciences at Penn State University, will be the featured speaker for the next Faculty Lecture Series at 1 p.m., Sept. 23, in room 135 at the campus in Center Valley. Gastil will discuss "The Oregon Citizens' Initiative Review: A new role for citizen legislators in initiative elections." This event is free and open to the public.

This talk will offer a field report from the 2012 Oregon Citizens’ Initiative Review, a unique program in public deliberation that uses everyday citizens to study ballot measures and advise fellow voters through the office Voters’ Pamphlet. This process shows the potential for lay citizens to play a more active role in deliberating on the legislation that comes before them in the form of referenda, initiatives, and even local bond measures.

Gastil is head of the Department of Communication Arts and Sciences at Penn State University. He specializes in political deliberation and group decision making, and his books include "The Jury and Democracy" (Oxford, 2010), "The Group in Society" (Sage, 2010), "Political Communication and Deliberation" (Sage, 2008), "By Popular Demand" (California, 2000), among others.

The Faculty Lecture Series is supported by the student activity fee in cooperation with Alumni and Corporate Relations, Teaching International, and the Penn State Lehigh Valley Undergraduate Research Symposium.

For more information, call 610-285-5000.

Media inquiries can be directed to Allison Goodin, 610-285-5067 or aag18@psu.edu.